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The Journal of Neuroscience, April 11, 2007, 27(15):3968-3973; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4691-06.2007

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Brief Communications
ß-Catenin Regulates Acetylcholine Receptor Clustering in Muscle Cells through Interaction with Rapsyn

Bin Zhang,^1 * Shiwen Luo,^1 * Xian-Ping Dong,^1 * Xian Zhang,² Chunming Liu,³ Zhenge Luo,² Wen-Cheng Xiong,¹ and Lin Mei¹

¹Program of Developmental Neurobiology and Department of Neurology, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912, ²Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China, and ³Sealy Center for Cancer Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Lin Mei, Program of Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912. Email: lmei{at}mcg.edu

Agrin is believed to be a factor used by motoneurons to direct acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering at the neuromuscular junction. However, exactly how agrin mediates this effect remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that the ß-catenin interacts with rapsyn, a molecule key for AChR clustering. Agrin stimulation increases the association of ß-catenin with surface AChRs. Suppression of ß-catenin expression inhibited agrin-induced AChR clustering, suggesting a necessary role of ß-catenin in this event. The ß-catenin action did not appear to require the function of T-cell factors (TCFs), suggesting a mechanism independent of TCF-mediated transcription. In contrast, prevention of ß-catenin from interacting with -catenin attenuated agrin-induced AChR clustering. These results suggest that ß-catenin may serve as a link between AChRs and -catenin-associated cytoskeleton, revealing a novel function of ß-catenin in synaptogenesis.

Key words: ß-catenin; rapsyn; interaction; AChR; cluster; -catenin

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Received Oct. 27, 2006; revised Feb. 15, 2007; accepted March 6, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Lin Mei, Program of Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912. Email: lmei{at}mcg.edu

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